Justice Minister laments committee’s lack of urgency to solve lawyer warrants test impasse

The Justice Minister has lambasted a committee headed by former chief justice Silvio Camilleri for procrastinating despite a solution in sight for graduate lawyers to receive their warrant. 

Jonathan Attard told MaltaToday that following the intervention of the Commission for the Administration of Justice, a constitutional body responsible for the Committee for Advocates and Legal Procurators, a solution to the impasse regarding a ‘fit and proper’ test was found. 

However, more than 100 lawyer and legal procurator graduates remain in limbo unable to obtain their warrant to practice law since the committee is dragging its feet. 

“Regrettably, it appears that some parties are failing to recognize the gravity of this situation and are not addressing it with the necessary urgency. It is imperative that we take immediate action without any unnecessary delay,” Attard told MaltaToday. 

The issue revolves around a new ‘fit and proper’ test required by law, which was proposed by the committee last year. Attard, who by law has to endorse the test, had refused to do so because some of the questions were invasive. 

The test included questions about students’ mental and physical health, their disabilities, previous drug or gambling addictions and even where they went to secondary school. 

On 12 May this year, Attard wrote to President George Vella who heads the CAJ asking for a resolution to the matter. 

The CAJ sent a revised ‘fit and proper’ guidelines and questionnaire on 29 May in an attempt to find a compromise solution between the committee and the Justice Ministry. 

“The ministry duly recognized and appreciated the intervention of the Commission in resolving the impasse. We welcomed the revised guidelines and questionnaire, and agreed to them within 24 hours of receiving them,” Attard said. 

However, two weeks after the minister agreed to the revised test, the committee has failed to endorse the proposed changes. 

“As I have already expressed myself in parliament, I am concerned about the predicament faced by the 105 legal professionals awaiting the warrant. As a ministry, we promptly responded to the commission's proposals and we are committed to continue doing so,” Attard said. 

He also pledged to engage further in comprehensive discussions on the subject once the impasse has been successfully resolved. 

“This is with a view to strengthening the warranting process of legal professionals and preferably also to provide the necessary mechanisms to unblock any unforeseen issues,” he added.